How Great Thou Art
by anthropomorphychan
Summary: The death of a well loved kunoichi is a tragedy. NxT Sorry if the title doesn't match the story ... I didn't have any better ideas.


**This is quite a sad one-shot. I actually don't know what came over me? Why do I write rather ... morbid stories? Oh well. I'm about to take my learner's license and I'm freaking out. I don't know if I'll pass the theory exam so I'm reading and reading the Road Code thoroughly. I'm also about to start my NCEA Level 1 exams at the start of the school year so I doubt if I'll be able to constantly update any story I start. Apologise for the inconvenience.**** Hope you enjoy this story but I'm sorry if it's quite sad. I almost cried writing this. **

**Please review!**

**anthropomorphyihybrid

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How Great Thou Art

It was early in the afternoon but the sky was already dark, due to being covered by countless floating rain clouds that seemed to look down upon us with such sadness. There was a heavy downpour and it didn't seem as if it was about to cease anytime soon. I remember when I was little; someone had told me that when it rains, it is he sign of the gods weeping. I've always wondered why a god would weep. Surely, a god has everything he or she requires. With just a click of a finger, BOOM, here comes a pretty pony and an added bonus of a servant at your disposal as well. Yes. I was naïve … and I guess, in some ways … I still am. But today, I can understand why the gods might be crying. 

I haven't been to many funerals (and I'd like to keep it that way thank you very much). And so, due to my lack of experience in the area of funeral gatherings, I wouldn't be able to say whether a lot of people have actually turned up. But then again, more people are still coming. Hmm. It seems to me as if there's more people that have turned up for this specific funeral than the Fifth's one. Hey, isn't that Gaara? A-and his siblings are here too, Temari and Kankuro. A-and wait, aren't hose shinobis from the sand? Well, I do believe I can safely assume that this funeral gathering is a lot bigger than usual. No wonder, she's one heck of an awesome kunoichi.

Thinking back to our genin days, I never thought she was any more special than forehead girl (and I believe that's saying a lot). Sure. She's the Konoha Weapons Mistress but I had always remembered how she lost her fight to that Temari chick. Now that I remember … I don't think the fight went any longer than ten minutes. _'What a pushover,' _I thought, _'At least I had drawn my match and she's a year older than me too so she's 'supposedly' better. Better my nice firm ass.' _It wasn't until later that I found out how old the Temari chick was. Yikes. Okay … maybe that was a tad unfair. Anyway, I got to know her a little bit more. We were never close. Even at the time before her death, I still only considered her a colleague. Okay. Maybe I did consider her a friend, but most definitely not a best friend. Skika-kun takes that place. The first time I talked to her, I noticed that she had this strange sort of charm that had drawn me towards her like a bee to a flower (unfortunately in this analogy, I'm the bee and she's the flower. Hmm. Maybe I should change the bee to a butterfly instead! That sounds good to me.) She was so nice and friendly that I liked her immediately. Of course, afterwards, I became suspicious. I thought that maybe she had put a spell on me. Well, whatever she put on me, it doesn't seem to have come off yet. No wonder this many people have turned up. She must've caught them all by her friendly charm, hook, line and sinker. I guess, that's probably why I'm here. She just too damn amiable for her own good. Hmm. I better sop muttering to myself, people are looking at me funny and besides, the formalities are about to begin.

Bla, bla, bla, oh get on with it would you? It's the same for every shinobi's funeral. He did this and she did that and I'm sure we're all going to miss such a loyal tool. Yeah, yeah. I'd rather hear about the real opinions people have of her like the comments by her close friends, mentors and such. It's during these times that we hear some juicy details about the dead person. I know I sound like a cow, or a pig as forehead girl would say, but it's not like I'm disrespecting her. I'm sure that the kunoichi that stands now would be the epitome of a solemn and reverent funeral goer. Or whatever it's called. I just can't help the fact that my head goes crazy when it's quiet, I mean come on, this is me were talking about. THE Konoha Gossip Queen.

Finally, glad that was over. Now for some stories we never knew about her. Oh! I never knew her parents were shinobis. Ouch! She followed right into their footsteps … even in choosing explosives as a means of dying. Huh? She shared a flat with Lee? No wonder they're so close. But I wonder … how did she manage to stay sane? Hmm. Yeah, I knew that about her. And that. That too. Hold on … that can't be it. The Hyuga prodigy hasn't even talked yet! A-and weren't those two rumoured to be a couple? Or at least rumoured to like each other. Didn't they train together like … everyday? Oh my god! It IS over! What a prick! He didn't even say anything about her. Not even a classic, 'She's a good kunoichi yadda, yadda, yadda'. Asshole.

Well, well, well, speak of the devil. Where's he off too? Must sneak away undetected and follow prey. What this? It seems like forehead girl is following too. She must've had the same idea as me. Well, might as well follow her too.

Hmm. Isn't this deep enough within the forest? W-wait? Did forehead girl just call him a 'Hyuga jerk'? Wow. She's got gut. I never knew her to be one of those people like Naruto who act before thinking. Note to self, stay away from Naruto. Impulsivity is contagious. Damn it, I can't hear! I'll go move a little closer.

"Hey you, you jerk. I was talking to you so stop."

Yep, you guessed it. That was Sakura. Neji sighed slowly before finally stopping. He didn't bother to face Sakura and just stared ahead with an eerie sort of calmness.

"What?" the ice cube finally said.

"What? Is that all you can say?" Sakura hissed madly.

Neji remained unperturbed.

"You know what? I seriously don't know what Tenten sees in you. You're such a heartless bastard who has no care whether his team mate is dead. You know what she told me before she sacrificed her life for me? She told me to tell you the she loves you!"

I was dumbfounded; well here was a juicy piece of gossip. As Sakura said the last three words, tears sprung from her eyes, flowing endlessly down her cheeks, before finally dripping down the already wet earth, mingling with the muddy sloshes as the rain poured harder.

Sakura continued talking, "We both knew when we took the mission that there was a high chance that we won't come back. Ninety percent to be precise. I was prepare to die goddamnit. Sasuke's left, Naruto's with Hinata and Lee's given up on me. But Tenten still gave up her life for me. We had drawn straws to see whether who would act as the sacrificial lamb so the other would live. I picked up the shorter straw; it should've been me that died. But Tenten, being the stubborn girl that she is, decided to trick me into getting myself into safety while she acted as a distraction. Before she blew herself and the enemy up, she screamed and told me to tell you that she loves you. You don't deserve her Hyuga, you just don't. She's a loving and caring person while you're just a prick! No wonder she didn't mind dying!"

Finally, Neji snapped. He turned around to face Sakura with a look in his face that she had never seen before. It was a look of hatred and resentment and possibly, a hint of grief.

"Don't you go lecturing me about feeling guilty. I know she loves me goddamnit but I bet you didn't know that I love her too," the Hyuga roared.

I was once again astonished at this revelation, and so was Sakura. She was stunned into silence but the silence only lasted for a second. Then her face became distorted form pure, unrestrained anger.

"Well why didn't you tell her? That could've been enough to stop her from dying. We wouldn't even be having this conversation to start with had you confessed!" Sakura snarled.

"I did," Neji answered slowly with a deliberated emphasis on the two words.

This time Sakura had nothing to say. Neji continued, but this time, in a more subdued tone.

"We had been going out secretly for the past two years. No one else knew. We made sure of that. I didn't know what Hiashi would do to her if he found out that I had a relationship with Tenten when I know all too well that I was to have an arranged marriage in two years time, or to be exact, my twenty-first birthday. I told Tenten this but she said she'd rather have a relationship with me then break it off rather none at all. I think her words were, _'Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all'. _I agreed and secretly hoped that the mess would fix itself up. I didn't think she was going to fix it up herself," he finished bitterly.

The two shinobis remained quiet for some time until Sakura broke the heavy silence.

"What would you have done if Tenten was still alive?" Sakura whispered softly.

Neji closed his eyes as he let the rain soak his already saturated Hyuga robes even more. Soon, he opened his eyes and spoke.

"Anything," he replied just as quietly, "I had already planned on running away with her, fantasised about living somewhere far away in a little hut, to have children running around the house with the same energy and joy as their mother."

He paused as his voice cracked at the thought. I couldn't be too sure if he was crying for the rain had washed away any evidences. He then continued with an odd half smirk half smile look plastered on his face.

"Just between you and me," he paused once ,ore, as if he wasn't sure whether he should share this piece of information around, but then he spoke again more confidently. "Just between you and me … I got Tenten pregnant last month."

Sakura's jaw dropped in disbelief. Mine would've too … if my jaw wasn't securely wedged on a branch.

"On her birthday?"

"Yeah. I was shocked when she told me but I was quite glad. I thought I was going to be a daddy soon and I was seriously thinking of putting my plans into action. But it seems like Tenten has her own ideas."

I was suddenly feeling nervous about this whole eavesdropping thing. Maybe I shouldn't have come … but it's too late to ponder on that.

"Oh."

That was all that came out of Sakura's mouth. A pregnant silence loomed over the two shinobis, pardon the pun, and then Sakura broke the silence once more.

"I …I"

"Don't bother."

"B-but …"

"I said don't," Neji hissed menacingly.

Sakura flinched at his sharp tone. The Hyuga prodigy then turned so his back is now facing the pink-haired medic-nin.

"Just don't apologise," Neji whispered gently, his tone, now a complete contrast of the one he used earlier. "It will just make things a lot harder for me if anyone tried to empathise with me. I love her and she loves me. That's all there is for me. I'll just move on as if nothing happened because that's what I think Tenten wants me to do."

I bit my lip, willing myself not to cry as I listened to his heartfelt revelations.

"And then," he continued, "someday, I'll see her again. And when that time comes, nothing will separate us ever again."

With those last words, he left forehead girl to wallow within the depths of her confusion. I watched alert, but quiet, seeing Sakura's face change into a multitude of expressions before a look of understanding finally settled on her face. With a small smile gracing her lips, forehead girl walked off in the direction of civilisation. I stayed still on the branch on which I sat for the duration of that conversation. So many questions came at me at once that I felt as if my mind was about to explode. But then, I heard my name being called out. I looked in the direction of where I thought I heard the voice. But even before he had entered the clearing, I knew it was him.

"Ino?"

"Over here Shika-kun!" I smiled as I landed on the ground, causing mud to splatter onto Shikamaru's already dirty raincoat.

"Troublesome woman, where were you? You just disappeared straight after the funeral service."

"Oh! I just thought I saw something worth gossiping about."

Shika lifted up an eyebrow in mild amusement.

"And did you?"

I paused and thought whether I should divulge Neji's confessions.

"Nah. Let's go over to your place, I'm getting cold and Dad's shut the shop for today."

Shikamaru was about to give me a questioning look but then decided against it. Instead, he put an arm around me to keep me warm.

"Troublesome woman, you should've brought a thicker jacket."

I smiled at him and at his not-so-silent concern for me. I poke my tongue out at him and then snuggled closer.

"But that's what you're here for you silly boy."

The said boy, no … man rolled his eyes at me as he led me out of the forest.

I smiled again under his warm embrace and thought, _'How great thou art Tenten, how great thou art.'_

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